Passenger-car.



H. c. HEFPNBE. PASSENGER UAR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE.12,1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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H. G. HEFFNBR.

PASSENGER OAR.

APPLIOATION FILED 111111.12, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HERMAN C. HEFFNER, 0F MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

PASSENGER-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patentf Patented lay 3, 1910 Application led March 12, 1909.

Serial No. 482,954.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN C. I-IEFFNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Berkeley and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Passenger-Cars, of which the ollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in passenger cars, being more particularly directed to a vestibule construction whereby the doors and steps leading to the vestibule are automatically controlled and operated.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a vestibule construction for passenger cars in which the Space beyond the platform above the steps is normally closed by an inner and an outer door, which doors, together with the steps are automatically operated, the doors to open and the steps to project into operative position, the closing of the doors serving to fold the steps into inaccessible position.

The invention will be described in the following specilication, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section of one end of the car taken just above the doors. Fig. 2 is a broken vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a broken elevation, partly in section, illustrating the connections between the power shaft and the hand shaft.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved vestibule construction is, as is usual in this type of car, arranged at the ends of the cars so that when coupled an unbroken protected passageway is provided throughout the length of the train. For the purposes of the present invention, the vestibule may be said to include a platform 1, which is ordinarily alined with the aisle in the car proper, and the spaces beside the platform ordinarily occupied by the steps. The space beside the platform is designed to be closed by an inner and an outer door, thereby providing an aisle space in the vestibule guarded by a door on each side, while the vestibule space is also provided with an outer door to be arranged flush with the side of the car.

Secured to and depending from each side edge of the platform 1 is a supporting strip 2, to the lower edge of which is connected the steps 3. The steps are made up of the usual treads and risers, being for the purpose of the present invention hingedly connected to permit their collapsing when moved in one direction while holding them rigid in step forming position when extended. The supporting plate 2 y'forms one of the risers when the steps are extended, and the final or end tread 4 of the steps has an added function when collapsed or elevated, which will presently a pear.

Extending longitudinally of t 1e platform 1 approximately beneath the supporting plate 2 is a power shaft 5, which shaft, Within the planes formed by the ends of the steps, is provided with gears 6. Mounted in brackets secured to the framework of the car is an operating shaft 8 arranged in spaced parallel relation with the power shaft 5 and immediately adjacent thereto. The operating shaft is provided with gear segments 9 designed to mesh with the gears 6 of thepower shaft, whereby movement may be transmitted from the power shaft to the operating shaft. The respective ends of the operating shaft are provided with relatively fixed arms 10, which at their free ends are connected to bars 11, as shown. The free or outer ends of the bars 11 are pivotally connected to the opposing ends of the terminal tread 4: of the steps, so that in the operation of the shaft 8 the bars 11 will, through the arms 10, be drawn rearwardly and their' outer ends elevated so as to collapse and raise the steps. Guard plates 13 are secured to the respective bars l1 so as to form a guard at the side of the steps when lowered, and these plates near their ends are provided with abutment strips 14 against which the tread Il of the steps is designed to abut when the parts have been operated to elevate the steps. The relative arrangement of the parts is such that when the tread 4 of the steps is in inoperative osition, that is when the steps are elevated, said tread 4 will be arranged vertically flush with the side of the car, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

I-Iingedly secured to a frame strip 15 fixed to the end of the car proper immediately adjacent the side edge of the platform 1 is a door 16, which may be of any ornamental construction and will be hereinafter termed the inner door. The free edge of the door is designed to engage a frame strip 17 forming a support for the closure section 18 which bridges the step space across the end of the platform 1, forming the usual permanent closure at this point. The space between the outer end of the closure 18 and the car proper is designed to be closed by a door 19, which will be hereinafter termed the outer' door, it being understood that the step space is included between the inner and outer doors. supports 20 designed to travel upon a track 21 secured to the overhead structure of the vestibule, andA this track extends longitudinally of the overhead structure in alinement with the side edge of the car and at the inner or rear end is curved and extended in position transverse the length of the car to provide a section 22 which extends across the end of the car proper, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The track for the outer door is so arrangedv that said door may be moved into a position to close the outer portion of the step space of the vestibule or be moved rearwardly into a position in contact with and practically against the end surface of the car proper.

t will be noted that the inner door is hinged, while the outer door is slidably mounted, and the invention contemplates means for operating the doors so that in open position the outer door will be arranged against the end of the car body while the inner door will be folded or swung over the outer door. To secure this result l mount in the vestibule structure an upright shaft 23, which is either directly connected with, or formsthe hinge support for the inner door so that in the operation of the upright shaft the inner door will Vbe swung into or from operative position. rlhe upright shaft is provided at its lower end with ay bevel gear 24 designed to mesh with a bevel gear 25 on the power shaft, so that as the latter is operated in one direction or the other the inner door will be correspondingly actuated. Mounted inthe vestibule structure adjacent the respective side edges of the inner door 16 are pulleys 26 and 27, the former being arranged adjacent the hinged edge of the door and the latter adjacent the free edge thereof. A cable 28 is secured at one end to the free edge of the inner door, passed thence over pulley 27, then over pulley 26 and transverse the car to the rear or inner end of the outer door 19, to which door it is connected in a manner to induce a sliding movement of the door under proper pull upon the cable. Pulleys 28 and 29 are arranged adjacent the respective side edges of the outer door, and a cable 30 is connected to the free edge of the inner door passed thence diagonally of the step space between the doors to and around the pulley 2S `at the rear edge of the outer door, thence to and over the pulley 29 arrangedl adjacent the forward edge of the outer door, and then connected to said outer door.

From the above construction it will be The outer door 19 carries roller seen that when the upright shaft 23 is operated toV swing the inner door into the open position, the cable 28 will be drawn upon during such movement of the inner door with the effect to move the outer door upon a track and arrange the same in openl position in rear of the inner door. The mov'ement of the upright shaft in the opposite direction to close the inner Vdoor will, through the medium of the cable 30, return the outer door to normal or closed position.

The end of the power shaft 5 arranged beneath the platform 1 is provided with a' gea-r 31 designed; to be engaged by a raclr 32 carried on the endof the piston stem 33 connected to a piston, not shown, and operative within a cylinder 34.v The cylinder has communicationthrough a pipe 35 with the train pipe or other pressure apparatus, and is controlled by means of a valve designed to be operated by the trainman. By thisv means, at any desired time fluid under pressure may be admitted to the cylinder 34 with the effect to operate the power shaft and thereby project the steps into operative position and open' both inner and outer doors, as heretofore described. For inducing a reverse operation of the parts l mount in the platform a hand shaft 36, which at the lower end through the medium of gear 37, stub shaft 38, and bevel gears'39 and 40, is operatively connected to the power shaft 5. The upper end of the-hand shaft has a pivoted drop lever 41, which, when elevated, extends at right angles to the handf shaft to insure sufcient leverage' for the operation of said shaft. The hand shaft may also be used to open the doors and set the steps in the event the power apparatus is for any reason inoperative. The car is` provided with usual vestibule connections 42 andthe inner door is provided oncits inner surface with a hand rail 43, which, when saidy door is open, provides a `hand rail for the steps.

The invention described provides, there fore, a simple means whereby, through the manipulation ofv a single valve the trainman can open the doors guarding the exit from the train and projectthe steps into position to permit the convenient discharge of the passengers; and by the operationv of a shaft close the doors and fold the steps into a position absolutely inaccessible from the outside.

Having thus describedv the inventionwhat is claimed as new, is

1. A car vestibule construction including a platform, steps secured' to oneedge thereof, inner and outer doors arranged at the re'- spective ends of the step space, andi door actuated' means for simultaneously opening both of saidV doors and projectingthe steps into operativeposition. Y

2. A -car vestibuleconstruction including' ico a platform, collapsible steps having hinged connection with the platform, inner and outer doors closing the step space, and means for operating said doors and steps simultaneously, said means arranging a portion of the steps in alinement with the outer' door when the arts are in closed positions.

3. A car vestibule construction including a platform, steps connected thereto, an inner door mounted for swinging movement, an outer door mounted for sliding movement, connections between the inner' door and outer door whereby the opening or closing movement of the former will induce a similar movement of the latter, means for o erating the inner door, and means interme iate the door operating means and the ste s to actuate the latter in the movement o the door operating means.

4. A car vestibule construction including a platform, steps movably connected to the edge of the platform, inner and outer doors closing the step space, a power shaft arranged below the platform, means actuated by the movement of the power shaft to simultaneously operate the doors and steps, and manually controlled power means for actuating the power shaft.

5. A car vestibule construction including a platform, steps movably connected to the edge of the platform, inner and outer doors closin' the step space, a power shaft arranged below the platform, means actuated by the movement of the simultaneously o erate the oors and steps, manually control ed ower means for actuating the power' sha t, and hand operated means for operating the doors and steps in a direction reverse to that incident to the power means.

6. A car vestibule construction including a platform, steps movably connected to the edge of the platform, inner and outer doors closinO' the step space, a power shaft arranged below the platform, an upright shaft operated by the power shaft and directly operating one of the doors, an operating shaft actuated by the power shaft, and means connecting the operating shaft with the steps.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN C. HEFFNER. Witnesses:

OsWALD L. BENDER, LENNIs L. SHooP.

ower shaft to 

